DADS (Dynamic Analysis and Design System) is a mechanical computer-aided engineering software package that enables the simulation and analysis of complex mechanisms and mechanical systems. DADS solves the displacement, velocity, acceleration, and reaction forces of models. DADS allows the user to model real-world behaviour and interpret performance through plots, graphs, tables and animation. Once a vehicle system model has been defined from the library of either two or three-dimensional elements, the data set is processed by the DADS analysis program. The equations of motion for the system are automatically generated using Cartesian (absolute) coordinates with Euler parameters as the orientation coordinates. Resultant differential-algebraic equations are solved by a generalized coordinate partitioning method. In an effort to allow the user to describe the vehicle model as conveniently as possible and still be able to simulate it numerically, an assembly adjustment procedure and redundant constraint checking feature are implemented. In dynamic analysis, a vehicle model may have any number of degrees of freedom. The motion of the bodies is calculated from the forces acting upon them. DADS output files contain the results of analysis for each body in the model.
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